Chapter 16: The Department Head's Appreciation

“Well done on this project.”

“No, sir. It’s only because you led us so well…”

“No, your team found excellent items and designed them perfectly. I’m sorry for making everyone come in on Saturday and stay late.”

“It’s not a problem at all. We feel worse that we caused you to come in as well, Director.”

“What kind of talk is that? How could I just stay home when you’re all here working hard? Of course, I should be by your side helping out where needed. Anyway, good job, everyone.”

From what Kang Jin gathered, it seemed like there had been some setbacks with a major project within their department, which resulted in the team members having to come in even on a Saturday. The director himself showed up after hearing about it, pitched in, and treated his employees to dinner afterward to thank them for their efforts.

Naturally, most employees would prefer to go home and rest rather than attend a department dinner.

Kang Jin approached them with plates while they chatted amongst themselves. On her tray were bowls of soup and fried eggplant slices.

“I thought you might like some broth, so I made cabbage soup. And here’s some fried eggplant as a side dish.”

“But this isn’t on your menu. Is that okay?”

“Our restaurant doesn’t have a fixed menu per se.”

“What about the menu board then?”

The director glanced at the menu, prompting Kang Jin’s smile.

“Since I run the business by myself, handling multiple dishes during peak hours can be overwhelming. So, I usually offer just one item from the menu during operating hours.”

“If there’s no set menu, what do you serve?”

“I make whatever dish you’d like with the ingredients I have on hand.”

“Wow!” One of the male employees exclaimed, catching Kang Jin’s attention. He was sipping cabbage soup and seemed pleasantly surprised by its taste.

“Please try it, sir. The broth is amazing.”

Following his employee’s suggestion, the director took a spoonful and smiled.

“Oh…it really soothes my stomach.”

“The tanginess and warmth feel amazing.”

Crunch!

The Director and Manager turned their heads at the crisp sound. A female employee was biting into some fried gourd strips, creating a satisfying crunching noise.

Crunch! Crunch!

The sound of crispiness and her spreading smile prompted others to grab some fried eggplant for themselves.

Crisp!

And as they heard that satisfying crunching noise…

“This is really delicious.”

“I’ve never had this before, but it’s absolutely tasty!”

“The outside is crispy, while the inside is soft with juicy flavors bursting out every time I bite into it. It also has a nutty taste.”

Kang Jin responded to Manager Kim’s comment.

“I stuffed minced pork belly inside the eggplants.”

“Oh…that explains the juiciness. It’s truly delicious.” The Director smiled at Kang Jin’s explanation.

“The cabbage soup and these fried eggplants—your cooking is genuinely amazing.”

Kang Jin nodded at the Director’s explanation and added:

“Kimchi is rich in vitamins and calcium, aiding digestion. That’s why it’s perfect for hangover soup.”

“Oh… So you made this hangover soup to help us with our drinking?”

“Drinking followed by hangover recovery, then more drinking… Sounds like we’ll be consuming quite a lot of alcohol, right? Just so you know, while I charge only what customers can afford for food, drinks must be paid in full.”

“Hahaha! You’re tempting us to drink even more with your hangover soup!”

Kang Jin laughed and pointed at the fried eggplant dish.

“And just like kimchi soup, eggplants also have cooling properties that aid detoxification… Perfect for enjoying with some drinks.”

“Young man, you know your food well.” The Director chuckled as he realized his mistake mid-sentence. “I inadvertently spoke informally because our young president is quite entertaining. If I offended you, please accept my apologies.”

“No worries at all. Please feel comfortable here, and I appreciate it when you visit often.”

“If the food tastes good, even if you tell me not to come back, I’ll still return frequently.” The Director scanned the interior of the restaurant. “By the way, do you run this place alone?”

“Yes, sir.”

“It doesn’t seem like business is thriving.”

The Manager laughed at the Director’s observation.

“But why wouldn’t business be good with such delicious food? If it were up to me, I’d eat here every day.”

The director shook his head at the manager’s question.

“You’re supposed to be good at sales…yet you can’t see beyond what’s right in front of you.”

“What do you mean?” The manager seemed puzzled by this response.

The director addressed all the employees present. “Listen carefully, everyone.”

They put down their food and paid attention to him.

“We are businessmen, after all. Specifically, we buy products and sell them.”

“That’s true.”

“As Manager Lee said, the food here is delicious. If the soybean paste tastes this good, then so must the red pepper paste and other condiments… Just from these side dishes alone, it’s clear that the owner is quite skilled in cooking.”

As employees nodded their heads, Director Lee gestured to the dining hall.

“And with nine tables here, you can accommodate over thirty customers when it’s busy. Can you handle cooking for more than thirty guests, serving them, and cleaning up by yourself?”

“That would…be quite challenging.”

“So…” The director smiled warmly. “It’s clear that business isn’t thriving yet, and I can also tell you haven’t been open for long.”

Kang Jin looked puzzled at Director Lee’s words.

“How do you know I’ve only been open for a short time?”

“In the restaurant industry, if the food is delicious, people will line up to eat there. Unless your cuisine caters to very specific tastes, which doesn’t seem to be the case here…

“If it tastes good to me, then others will likely enjoy it as well. However, if you’re running this business alone with no customers, that suggests people aren’t aware of your establishment yet, leading me to assume it’s newly opened.”

Kang Jin looked at Director Kim, surprised by his reasoning.

“You sound like a detective.”

“I wouldn’t go that far, but having worked in sales for a long time, I’ve developed a keen eye for buying and selling trends. Your culinary skills are truly valuable assets, so there’s no reason why your business shouldn’t thrive. Even though it may be tough now, as more people discover your place, success is just around the corner.”

“Thank you for your kind words.”

“It’s not just flattery; the food really is delicious.”

Seeing the director smile and pop another piece of fried squid into his mouth, Kang Jin retreated to the kitchen so they could enjoy their drinks without interruption.

After consuming four bottles of soju and two beers, the guests stood up from their seats.

“How much is it?” asked Director Park.

Kang Jin smiled at him. “The one hundred thousand won you gave me earlier covers it. Please come again and spread the word.”

“We’ll do that. Thanks for the great meal.” With smiles on their faces, the group stumbled out of the restaurant.

“They’re good customers.”

During his part-time job, many older people had addressed him informally despite being younger than h. Although se didn’t think it should bother him since they were older, encountering such behavior always left him feeling uneasy.

However, he couldn’t get mad at customers, so all he could do was seethe internally… At least this customer spoke politely and ordered with respect, making him a good guest.

“But I bet he’s not such a great boss.”

Kang Jin chuckled as he recalled the other employees’ sour expressions instead of Manager Park’s polite smile. Although it wasn’t explicitly stated by their director, they had to work over the weekend and attend a company dinner afterward.

In any case, thanks to that terrible boss, Kang Jin served his first human guests ever…

“I feel great.”

He couldn’t help but be elated.

With a contented expression, Kang Jin began clearing away dishes from where his guests had eaten.

The next morning, Kang Jin was cleaning the area outside the restaurant.

Sweep, sweep!

After gathering trash and placing it into bags, he briefly glanced down the street.

Poor Ho-cheol hyung is dead.

Kang Jin reminisced about Choi Ho-cheol. Choi Ho-cheol… He was a kind person Kang Jin met during difficult times. Although they didn’t see each other often, he provided good conversations during tough moments and helped Kang Jin settle after leaving the orphanage.

From finding part-time jobs to securing lodging at a small rooming house…

And now, with Choi Ho-cheol’s death, he became a guest at One Meal Restaurant.

“He was five years older than me, so thirty-three… How unfortunate for someone so young.”

Kang Jin sighed as he remembered Choi Ho-cheol and shook his head. As the saying goes, ‘the living continue to live while the dead remain dead.’ Even if they return as ghosts visiting his restaurant.

“Firstly, let’s organize the fridge inventory.”

Entering the store, Kang Jin counted the items in the fridge and jotted down needed ingredients on a memo pad. Then, he ordered alcohol and food from the water nymph and water spirit respectively.

After completing the orders, Kang Jin spent the whole day reading cooking practice manuals. Instead of referring to cookbooks whenever necessary, he decided it would be better to read through them beforehand. Strangely enough, after reading the manuals once, he could remember the recipes and follow them effortlessly, making it sufficient just to read them.

Shhh!

Songyi Sajeok

Slice or tear songi mushrooms to finger-size pieces and coat with sesame oil. Cut beef sirloin into similar-sized pieces and mix with mushrooms…

Songi mushrooms are beneficial for cancer prevention, high blood pressure, and heart disease. They also enhance energy levels and mental clarity, making them increasingly beneficial with more consumption. Additionally, they aid digestion by alleviating diarrhea and constipation. >

‘Songyi sajeok sounds delicious.’

As Kang Jin decided to try it someday, he heard the door open.

Creak!

He looked up towards the entrance and saw four people walk in. Among them was a familiar face—the manager who had attended last night’s company dinner.

“You’re here again,” Kang Jin noted with a smile.

“Yes, I am. Are you open for business?” asked Manager An.

“Of course. Please have a seat.” Kang Jin gestured to some chairs.

As they sat down, Manager An remarked cheerfully, “The air conditioning is very refreshing! It’s sweltering outside, but it feels cool enough to give me chills in here.”

Kang Jin suddenly glanced around at his comment.

Now that he mentions it… Why is it so cool despite not having turned on the AC?

There was no air conditioner inside the shop, yet it felt as if one had been blasting cold air. The weather hadn’t cooled off either; stepping outside while cleaning made breathing difficult due to the oppressive heat.

Is it cool inside because of the ghosts? Makes sense since ghosts emit malicious energy… Should I call this a ghost air conditioner? A ghost air conditioner is pretty awesome.

Electric bill